20160112 Tuesday, January 12 2016
Amos 03: Covered Wagons And War Chariots

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt"

After their origin in Iraq and Syria (see Israel's Neighborhood Roots), the family of Jacob (see A Biography Of Jacob: The Jacobites Of Syria), who the LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour) renamed as "Israel" (see A Biography Of Jacob: When Jacob Became Israel), were welcomed, as refugees, into Goshen, the richest and most-fertile area of Egypt's Nile Delta region.

The Israelites at the time that they entered Egypt numbered little more than 70 men, women and children. They arrived in the wagons that the Pharaoh provided to transport them to his country. They were even welcomed and escorted safely in by Egyptian war chariots that were led by the Prime Minister of Egypt himself - Israel's son Joseph (see Joseph's Sheaves and Stars Dreams Fulfilled and The First Census Of Israel).

"46:5 And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

46:6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: 46:7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt." (Genesis 46:5-7 KJV)

"46:26 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six; 46:27 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.

46:28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

46:29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while." (Genesis 46:26-29 KJV)

"47:10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

47:11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

47:12 And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families." (Genesis 47:10-12 KJV)

Israel's entry into Egypt was not by chance or coincidence. The LORD told Abraham (see A Biography Of Abraham: From Ur To Canaan) that it was going to happen - long before any Israelites existed (the Israelites were the descendants of Abraham's grandson Jacob).

"15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance." (Genesis 15:13-14 KJV)

Ironically, when the Israelites left Egypt 400 years later, it was also with Egyptian wagons, that they continued to use in their time in the Sinai (i.e. "they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons") and the Pharaoh's war chariots.

"7:1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them; 7:2 That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered: 7:3 And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle." (Numbers 7:1-3 KJV)

"14:5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 14:6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 14:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them." (Exodus 14:5-7 KJV)

The family of Israel grew into a nation that was created and chosen by the LORD to be a prophecy of the coming Kingdom of God (see The First And Last Nation). The Israelites repeatedly failed to live up to their calling, from which the LORD restored the prophecy with a later generation (see A History Of Israel's United And Divided Kingdoms). Their Messianic purpose however never once failed - even when they destroyed themselves with iniquity (see Iniquity In History And Prophecy).

"3:1 Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? 3:4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? 3:5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

3:8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

3:9 Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.

3:10 For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.

3:11 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;

An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.

3:12 Thus saith the LORD;

As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch.

3:13 Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts,

3:14 That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. 3:15 And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD." (Amos 3:1-15 KJV)

Fact Finder: Why did a later Pharaoh come to fear the Israelites in his country?
See How Long Were They Slaves?